Surprises Around Every Corner
by Ravenclaw'sBestBeater
Summary: Fred and George prepare for their 14th birthday, and recieve an unexpected surprise. Written for the April Twin Exchange Challenge.


Written for the Twin Exchange Forum's April 2012 Challenge. Please go on the Twin Exchange Harry Potter Forum and vote for my fanfiction in the poll! Thanks :)

Surprises Around Every Corner

"Filliewonk's Fireworks?"  
"Lame."  
"Right, right. Okay, how 'bout...Prinkleton's Professional Pranking Pack?"  
"He's as big of a phony as Gilderoy Lockhart. Ouch, Mum!" Fred exclaimed as his mother thwacked his head. They had been shopping in Diagon Alley for two hours, sixteen minutes, and 27  
seconds and still hadn't found the twins' birthday present.  
Major mistake to let them choose, Molly thought.  
Dumbledore had given the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione permission to leave school a week early for spring vacation. Everyone was at the Burrow, waiting for them to get back so they  
could have an evening quidditch game.  
"Boys, please, just choose something. Anything!" Mrs. Weasley said.  
"Anything?" Fred inquired.  
"Because, you know..."George continued.  
"We are terribly desperate for..."  
"Gullsputter's Guide to Pranking."  
"Anything but that"Molly amended, "Boys have made their victims cry with that book."  
"Cry out of joy! And maybe a bit of humiliation, but mostly joy. It's not like they hurt anybody."  
"I. Said. NO." Mrs. Weasley replied. She was red in the face, her fists clenched and icy white. They gulped simultaneously. No one, not even the daredevil prankster twins, wanted an  
angry Mrs. Weasley on their hands.  
"Okay, okay. I'll settle for color changing dream catchers and a carton of chocolate frogs." George offered.  
"Yeah, that sounds great." Fred agreed. Molly smiled, pinched her sons cheeks, and headed to the checkout counter.

W...W...W...W...W...W...W...W

"You had a couple good beats in there, guys!" Charlie said to the twins.  
"Charlie, we still lost." George pointed out.  
"Worst birthday ever." Fred muttered under his breath.  
"FRED, GEORGE! BE DEARS AND GO FIX THE BIRD BATH!" Mrs. Weasley called.  
"And getting worse." George replied.  
"I don't know why she keeps that bird bath. It's a pile of rubbish!" The bird bath had once been beautiful, and the very center of Mrs. Weasley's garden. Even after the first time the twin's  
blew it up. But the second and third times just completely ruined it. They approached the large pile of circular stone and set it back on its pedestal. Fred grabbed a pail and went to fetch  
some water while George scrubbed the bird droppings out of it and began adjusting the water tubes. "Who understands these things?" He yelled out, marble no longer shone,  
or hurt their eyes when it was hit directly by sunlight. It was a dull gray instead of the clean white it used to be. They finished the job quickly and headed into the Burrow to finish off their  
lame birthday.  
"Alright, here we go!"Molly said, bringing out a tray of hot butterbeers. A loud clatter was heard from the kitchen.  
"Hermione, dear? Is everything going well?"  
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley! One more minute!"  
"What's she doing, Mum?" Ron asked.  
'Just putting some tea on the kettle."  
"Done!" Hermione called out.  
"Wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley replied, flicking her wand to shut off the lights.  
"What's going on?" Someone asked.  
Then, a dim light followed by Hermione's slim figure entered the room.  
"Happy Birthday! Make a wish!" She yelled at the twins. They blew out the candles and the lights were switched back on.  
"What did you wish for?" Ron asked eagerly.  
"Well, I-"  
"NO! You mustn't speak your wish until it comes true!" Hermione admonished. "Now eat your cake. I made it myself." She looked incredibly proud of herself, and when they looked at the  
cake in proper light, everyone could see why. It was a wizard picture(courtesy of Colin Creevey) of the twins, in their last quidditch game, with muggle chocolate candies as the border.  
Mrs. Weasley dished out the cake- a moist, chocolate one, with home made chocolate fudge frosting and a bottom layer of chocolate chips.  
"Thanks, Hermione!" The twins called out, mouths full of delicious chocolatey goodness. The whole cake was finished off in a grand total of five minutes, and then they were ready to open  
their gifts. First, they opened the one from their parents, Percy, Ron, and Ginny. Then the 100 Dragons slide show and projector from Charlie, a muggle chemistry set from Bill, and from  
Harry they received a set of quidditch balls.  
"Now open mine!" Hermione demanded, thrusting the large and heavy package into their arms. In seconds, the wrapping paper was all around the room-Hanging from lamp shades, on  
Ginny's head, and the big bow had found its way onto Mrs. Weasley's clock. A golden light filled the room, as if they had entered the gates of Merlin's mansion.  
"You two were finally interested in books, so I took advantage of the rare opportunity... Sorry Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said, glancing at the woman who was glaring unhappily at her.  
There sitting before them was a golden covered limited-edition, copy of Gullsputter's Guide to Pranking. But no, that wasn't all; She had also gotten them Gullsputter's collected works.  
Fred had silent tears of appreciation streaming down his cheeks, and threatening to drop from his chin onto the books. Hermione quickly wiped them away.  
"Don't even think about ruining these books, Fred Weasley." The twins grinned and pulled her into a bear hug. Before she could respond to the abrupt motion, George planted a soft kiss on  
her lips. Her face lit up, and in her ear he whispered, "My wish came true."


End file.
